Method of seaming carpeting with a tape



Feb- 12, 1963 R. J. CARRIGAN 3,077,429

METHOD oF SEAMTNG CARPETTNG WITH A TAPE Filed April 11, 1960 Tzll.

BY @lz/71:44,@MYM

@TTG/ENE YS 3,677,429 METHOD F SEAMlNG CARPETING WITH A TAPE Robert I.Corrigan, Hazardville, Conn., assigner to igelow-Sanford, liuc., acorporation of Delaware Filed Apr. l1, 196?, Ser. No. 2l,l7l} 3 Claims.(Ci. 156-459) The present invention relates to improvements in carpetsearning tapes and method of seaming carpet therewith. lt relates, moreparticularly, to a tape for seaming carpeting which has a padof backingor cushioning material attached thereto and forming a part thereof and amethod of forming a seam joining two sections of cushioned carpetingwith such a tape.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tape which willfacilitate the forming of a neat, smooth seam between adjoining sectionsof carpet having a cushion or pad attached thereto. Another object ofthe invention is to provide a tape for forming a seam between adjoiningsections of carpeting having a cushion or pad attached thereto whichwill insure that thickness of the carpeting at the seam is the same asthe remainder of the carpeting. A further object of the invention is toprovide a method of forming a seam between adjoining sections ofcushioned or backed carpet in such a manner that an inconspicuous seamis obtained with the searned area supported by a cushion or pad of thesame thickness as the pad attached to the carpet.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent and be better understood from the following description and theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fifi. l is a plan View of a carpet seaming tape embodying the presentinvention having portions thereof broken away to illustrate the severallayers forming the tape;

FIG. 2 is an end View of the carpet seeming tape shown in FiG. l;

FIG, 3 is an end view of two pieces of cushioned carpeting joined by aseaming tape in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an end view of a piece of cushioned carpeting prior topreparation for the seaming thereof;

HG. 5 is an end view illustrating the piece of carpeting shown in FlG. 4during preparation for the seaming thereof and prior to being applied toa scanning tape in accordance with the present invention;

'Fi-G. 6 is a bottom View or" the two pieces of carpeting searned inaccordance with the present invention as shown in FIG. 3, with a portionof the seaming tape removed for purposes of illustration.

it will be understood that the accompanying drawing illustrates theinvention in a diagrammatic manner. Also, for purposes of illustration,the invention has been shown and will be described herein in conjunctionwith tufted carpeting il) having loops l1 forming the pile on the facethereof which are supported on a backing layer l2 of burlap or similarmaterial to which a cushion or pad i3 or" jute or similar material isremovably attached. Carpeting of this type is shown and described indetail in the copending application for United States Letters` PatentSerial No. 767,949, filed October 17, 1958, now Patent No. 3,0i9,5tl8,in the names ol Henry A. Reinhardt and David B. Parlin and entitledCushioned Carpeting and Method or" Making the Same.

However, it will be understood that carpet seeming tapes embodying thepresent invention and the method of scanning carpetingr with such tapesin accordance with the present invention may be used in conjunction withother types of carpeting having a cushion or pad attached thereto whichcan be delaminated and removed from the back of the carpeting.

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diligh As shown best in FIGS. l and 2, a carpet seaming tapelllembo-dying the present invention comprises a web or supporting layeri5 of a woven material such as burlap, to which a pad lo of cushioningymaterial, such as jute or the like, is attached. Where the web orsupporting layer is made of burlap or the like and the cushion or pad ismade oi jute bers, the pad may be formed on the web and attached theretoby a needling operation which may be carried out on a conventional batforming machine in which the jute libera are compacted on the back ofthe web and needles force strands of the tibcrs through interstices inthe web. In forming the tape in this manner, the combined thickness ofthe pad and the web should be approximately equal to the thickness ofthe cushion or pad 13 which is attached to the carpeting to be seaniedso that the thickness of the seamed arm will be the same as theremainder of the carpeting and a smooth, neat seam will be obtained.

When two pices of carpeting lll? are joined together, as shown in FIG.3, by a carpet seaming tape lll in accord ance with the presentinvention, the tape extends widthwise for an equal distance beneath eachof the adjoining edges of the two pieces of carpeting in a space fromwhich the cushion or pad i3 has been removed from the back of thecarpeting. The opposing surfaces of the tape and. the carpeting aresecured together by a suitable adhesive i7, such as a latex backiriYcompound, to hold the adjoining edges of the carpeting in close abuttingrelation. The tape also extends lengthwise for the full length of theseam.

In preparing the carpeting ltd for seaming in accordance with thepresent invention, a cutis made to the depth of the cushion or pad i3along the dotted line A, as indicated in FIG. 4, which is locatedinwardly from the edge of the carpeting at a distance equal to one-halfth width of the tape. The portion of the cushioning pad i3 extendingbetween the edge of the carpeting and the cut along the line A is thenretrieved from the carpeting exposing the bottom of the backing layer l2of burlap or the like.

A coating 17 of an adhesive, such as a latex backing compound, may thenbe applied to the exposed bottom surface of the burlap layer of thecarpeting which is then brought into contact with the upperl surface ofthe tap-e as indicated in FIG. 5. The same procedure is followed for theadjoining piece or" carpeting and, as a result, a smooth, neat seam ofuniform thickness corresponding to the thickness of the carpeting isformed.

lf desired, the adhesive coating l7 may be applied to the upper surfaceof the tape with the exposed bottom surfaces of the backing layer forthe carpeting being brought into Contact. A coating of an adhesive whichcan be activated by pressure, solvent action or the like may be appliedto the upper surface or the seaming tape at the tinte the tape is formedto avoid the need for ap plying an adhesive coating at `the time offornn'ug the seam.

While the present invention has been described with particular referenceto the embodiment illustrated herein, it will be understood that variouschanges and modifica tions may be made therein without departing fromthe cope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

i claim:

l. The method of `forming a seam between two pieces of carpeting, eachof which has a pad oi cushioning material removably attached to the backthereof, which comprises cutting hrough the pad of cushioning materialon each piece of carpeting along a line spaced from one edge thereof,stripping the pad extending between said cut and t.e edge of each pieceoi carpeting from the back thereof, and then attaching a tape having athickness equal to the thickness of the pad to the stripped back of eachpiece of carpeting with the tape extending between the two pieces ofcarpeting and holding the edges thereof in abutting relationship.

2. The method of forming a seam between two pieces or carpeting, each oflwhich has a pad of cushioning material removably attached to the backthereof as defined in claim 1 wherein the tape is attached to thestripped back of each piece of carpeting by applying an adhesivematerial to surfaces of the tape and the two pieces of carpeting whichare in opposing relation.

3. The method of forming a seam between adjoining edges of two -piecesof carpeting, each of which has a layer of fibrous cushioning materialremovably attached thereto, which comprises removing a strip of thefibrous cushioning material extending along an edge thereof from theyback of each pie-ce of carpeting, and then adhesively attaching theback of each piece of carpeting from Which the strips of cushioningmaterial have been removed to a tape which extends across and beneathadjoining edges of the two pieces of carpeting, said tape being equal inthickness to the thickness of the layer of cushioning material and beingequal in width to the combined width of the removed strips of cushioningmaterial.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSy1,960,137 Brown May 22, 1934 1,979,691 Jackson Nov. 6, 1934 2,005,638Schacht .Tune 18, 1935 2,524,456 Masland Oct; 3, 1950 2,647,850 ReinhardAng. 4, 1953 2,659,687 Moore Nov. 17, 1953. 2,705,693 Dildilian Apr. 5,1955 2,727,295 Wright Dec. 20, 1955 2,947,346 1960.

Thompson Aug.. 2,

1. THE METHOD OF FORMING A SEAM BETWEEN TWO PIECES OF CARPETING, EACH OFWHICH HAS A PAD OF CUSHIONING MATERIAL REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE BACKTHEREOF, WHICH COMPRISES CUTTING THROUGH THE PAD OF CUSHIONING MATERIALON EACH PIECE OF CARPETING ALONG A LINE SPACED FROM ONE EDGE THEREOF,STRIPPING THE PAD EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID CUT AND THE EDGE OF EACH PIECEOF CARPETING FROM THE BACK THEREOF, AND THEN ATTACHING A TAPE HAVING ATHICKNESS EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF THE PAD TO THE STRIPPED BACK OF EACHPIECE OF CARPETING WITH THE TAPE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE TWO PIECESCARPETING AND HOLDING THE EDGES THEREOF IN ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP.